Club run reports - 10th February

Category 6 ride led by Mike East

Where were the lily-livered lie-a-beds from the south? Weather too much for them? Just three hard case northern cat sixers gathered at the start. The destination was Mill Green Tea Rooms at Rushden. On the outskirts of Buntingford the plan changed - a shorter ride was called for. Not that we were put off by the conditions, but we preferred to keep our powder dry and our lead in our pencils for more a clement sojourn in the future. We considered the Buntingford Cafe - too early - and rode instead to the Westmill Tea Room - too closed. So it’s off to Something Lovely, where Kerry squeezed us in between two bookings. We returned by the old A10, arriving in Ware just as the southern softie bail outs were preparing their quinoa and avocado focaccia. 20 miles covered with much clattering about whippets, holes inth’ road and cloth caps.

Category 5 ride led by Peter Walton

Or you could have come along with the fivers.  Five of us did 25 miles out, and 17 back.  Although the conditions were wet, we were reasonably dry until about 15 mins from the cafe when it did get a bit more than drizzly!  Came back in sporadic sunshine but little rain.  We had no problems and the cafe looked after us.  Sadly I've never had quinoa or avocado focaccia, but my chips were good!!

Category 3 ride led by Peter Bloomfield

While the Cat 6 northerners were cutting short their ride the stalwart southerners of Cat 3 were sticking to the objective  - chewing up and spitting out a 48-mile ride into that region known only as “Essex”.  By a strange coincidence there were only three of us as well, amazing what looking at a weather app can do for the turnout!  It has to be said that we seemed to strike lucky with the weather (compared to the forecast anyway), no torrential soakings at all.  On the first half of the ride there were rain showers and the roads were very wet but on the plus side we had a helping hand quite often from the strong wind which enabled us to make good time to Brett’s café in White Roding.  Once inside layers of clothing were rapidly shed as they had the heating turned up full, service was efficient as usual.  We came out to find the bikes were wet  -  we seemed to have missed that one, more luck.

On the return leg the weather was largely dry and occasionally the sun peeped out although the roads were still messy.  The downside was that a lot of this half was fighting our way into the strong wind, turns were taken chain-gang style to share the load of leading and this helped somewhat but it was still tough going.  The main upset of the ride, literally, came as we entered North Weald when we were riding in close formation and the lead rider had to slow when a car approaching signalled right  -  the concertina effect led to a touch of wheels and the man at the back hit the deck.  Luckily no body parts were broken and he gamely resisted offers of wipes and sticking plasters to get straight back on.  It was now just a solid push against the wind through Thornwood Common, Epping Green, Roydon, Stanstead Abbots and back to Ware.  Just the one incident  -  get well soon Graham!